“Shahram is at the top of his game. A true star in the legal industry, a pleasure to work with. We are proud to work with him.”
Legal 500 2022
“Shahram Safai understands the business of real estate, is razor sharp and as a legal advisor he is practical, value driven and to the point.”
Legal 500 2022
“Shahram Safai – Highly knowledgeable of real estate laws but also of government policies that effect our business. He predicts most major legal trends, advises us and prepares us strategically for what is to come.”
Legal 500 2022
“Shahram Safai has impressed us again and again, year over year. He is a stellar lawyer.”
Legal 500 2022
“Shahram Safai – sound knowledge of the market in his field.”
Legal 500 2022
“He is an excellent real estate lawyer. He knows his stuff. He is very knowledgeable on local law issues.”
Chambers Global 2022
“Shahram has impressed us again and again,” adding: “He continues to be an indispensable adviser to us“.
Chambers Global 2021
“Very responsive, professional and educated.”
Chambers Global 2020
“Professional, well informed, presentable and knowledgeable of local industry regulations and best practices.”
Chambers Global 2020
“He inspires a sense of confidence – you immediately feel you’re in good hands. He’s someone who knows the field. He provides an answer but also guides you through the process – there isn’t much he hasn’t come across before.”
Chambers Global 2018
“Demonstrates his professional knowledge and commercial sense in his work.”
Chambers Global 2017
“Proactive, pragmatic and hands-on” approach, with one adding: “He always finds a way to provide a commercial solution, and give options.”
Chambers Global 2016
“A very good lawyer – adaptable, charismatic and well spoken.”
Chambers Global 2015
“Very clear and crisp advice”, and for having “detailed local knowledge and experience.”
Legal 500 EMEA 2015
“Always very happy with everything they produce. Of the local firms on the ground, they are one of the main protagonists.”
Chambers Global 2013
“Produces work of superb quality thanks to its excellent team of lawyers, with a diverse array of backgrounds. Its long-standing local presence gives the firm a deep understanding of the market and of clients’ needs.”
Chambers Global – The Client’s Guide 2009
Shahram’s practice focuses on representing leading multinational and domestic corporate clients, investment funds and high net worth individuals. He counsels clients on private equity and venture capital transactions, as well as advising clients on assessing and managing transactional risks.
Shahram heads the firm’s tax, venture capital, and real estate teams. He has been highly sought after by boards and shareholders for strategic legal advice. He is active in lobbying for and providing constructive feedback to government organizations regarding regional laws and regulations pertaining to private equity / venture capital investment, corporate governance, tax and real estate.
His practice involve advising clients on sanctions and compliance including with respect to investments, joint ventures, as well as introduction to sector specific private and public entities. Such advice generally involves franchise and agency matters, build-operate-transfer transactions, regulatory and legal compliance and strategies, foreign investment protection regimes, sanctions and anti-money laundering implications.
Shahram real estate lawyer also advises clients with respect to joint ventures, acquisitions and doing business in the region. Such advice involves investment fund formation, compliance advice, sanctions advice, anti-money laundering implications, and agency matters.
He is a regular speaker at seminars on legal developments and current issues in doing business, private equity, real estate and construction law. At the invitation of the Government of Dubai, Shahram regularly lectures on legal matters and policy. He is a member of an economic advisory committee to the Government of Dubai and has also been selected to represent the Dubai Land Department as a Dubai RE Ambassador 2020.
Shahram is also Chairman of the Board for the Canadian Business Council of Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Prior to joining Afridi & Angell in 2002, Shahram was an associate at Cooley Godward in Palo Alto, California advising clients with respect to private equity / venture capital.
Shahram is also a registered professional engineer and he has previously worked as a design engineer, a hydroelectric dam manager and a construction engineer. He also worked for a global oil & gas company, supervising the pressure testing of gas wells.